During the most recent trip to the Ilam campus, the Canterbury College Survey came across some incredible heritage items from the School of Earth and Environment.
Among these was a set of surveying instruments that were used in Antarctica. The University of Canterbury has had a deep-seated link to Antarctica.
Our first links were formed with Robert Julian Scott, cousin of Antarctic explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott, who was one of the first Professors of the Canterbury College Engineering Department when it was started in 1887.
He convinced Captain Scott to start his Antarctic Expedition from Christchurch rather than Melbourne.
Many students and staff have been involved in exploits in Antarctica. In 1999, David Harrowfield and Chris Jacomb used University instruments for a back-up survey of artefacts around Scott’s Hut.
The instruments used were items like this Alidade and plane table with tripod. These surveying instruments created an accurate record even when compared to GPS data.
The University has sent some record-breaking figures to the frozen continent.
Barbara Spurr, who along with Pamela Young, were trailblazers for women in the Antarctic and should hold a special place in University of Canterbury history.
Both of them were among the first women to work in the Antarctic.
In 1969, Pamela Young, an Otago University graduate, became one of the first New Zealand women to work in Antarctica, working as a field assistant to her husband, Euan Young, a Zoology lecturer at the University of Canterbury.
Pamela came out with a book called Penguin Summer – or a rare bird in Antarctica about her experience living and working with her husband in the Antarctic.
Barbara Spurr, a University of Canterbury student, commented in an issue of the press that some men were “not too happy that women were going to the Antarctic.” Noting that the US Navy had banned Women from working in Antarctica until 1969.
Barbara said that “it is high time women went, as long as they are just as well trained in their particular fields as men.”
Mrs Spurr, with her husband, Eric Spurr, spent three months in Antarctica in 1970. Mr. Spurr spent 3 summers in Antarctica looking at the behaviour of Adelie Penguins. Mrs. Spurr made an ecological study of freshwater melt ponds near Cape Bird.
The survey continues to dig up some incredible heritage items that lead to some interesting parts of world history along with the history of the University.
We are very thankful to all of the departments and schools for working alongside us in the conservation and documentation of the amazing heritage items of the University, we look forward to working with you all further.
Contact the Canterbury College Survey Team at teecemuseum@canterbury.ac.nz.
